In passenger aircraft, it is necessary to detect the weight of each occupant in the vehicle to determine the total weight and balance distribution of the occupants. This is particularly important in aircraft, such as commercial passenger aircraft, where the combined weight of the occupants can exceed 50 tons. The distribution of passengers and the weight of the individual passengers so distributed must be calculated to determine the center of gravity of the occupants. The center of gravity, once determined, is entered into the flight management computer (FMC) of the aircraft by the flight crew. The FMC then calculates the required elevator trim and performance settings for aircraft takeoff.
It also may be necessary to calculate the occupant center of gravity on an ongoing basis during passenger loading and unloading to ensure that the center of gravity does not shift beyond a predetermined aft limit of the aircraft to a point that may create an imbalance in the weight distribution of the aircraft. This is especially important during passenger loading and unloading when baggage is being loaded and unloaded at the same time.
Currently, the center of gravity of the occupants can be calculated by flight attendants, who perform a count of passengers seated on the aircraft. The flight attendants walk through the cabin and manually count the number of adults and children in every zone. This count of adults and children is converted to a rough passenger weight per predetermined location or zone, which is calculated and then entered into the flight management computer by the flight crew. Such a manual process can be inaccurate, and is time consuming, which can delay the turnaround time of the aircraft. Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for rapidly and accurately calculating the passenger center of gravity of an aircraft.